“Charm & Strange” Book Review

By: Sarah Barron

Everyone has their own secrets that lurk between the shadows. They seem to sneak inside of us. Some people even claim they have a beast living inside of them. Charm & Strange by Stephanie kuehn tells a story about a teenager named Win who is put in a boarding school. Win has several dirty secrets that he tucks away from the world. Win is very anti-social, but the most interesting aspect of all is that he claims there’s a werewolf living inside of him. The two friends he manages to accommodate end up bringing out the worst in him. The truth simply lies within the beholder.

While reading Charm & Strange it allowed me to dig in between the story and the point being portrayed. To me the bigger idea seemed to be that even some of the best people have secrets. We all hide in fear of knowing the absolute truth. Unfortunately it’s as though these secrets receive the best of us as individuals. It is our duty to keep life moving by simply one’s own decision whether or not to tell the truth. So often we are quick to judge others solely based on how they act or look when in reality there’s so much more to it than we could ever understand.

My personal experience with this book was incredible. I enjoyed the overall take of it, and the meaning I received within it. This book was a very simple, easy read. It was a true page turner. Every page would lead you flipping to the next keeping you focused and constantly waiting to know what would happen next. Charm & Strange is a romantic, suspense filled book. Everyone is always saying. “Never judge a book by its cover or even its title”. In this case, I 100% agree with that saying. When I first received the book to read I was weary I wouldn’t enjoy reading it because of the title and cover. As I read the summary I became more and more intrigued and interested in reading the book. With relief, I absolutely loved the book overall.

I would definitely recommend this book. Honestly almost anyone would enjoy the book because of all the topics mentioned. Charm & Strange not only talks about werewolves but also touches on back flashes of a summer romance. Therefore I would not gender base recommending this book. I strongly believe that anyone willing to read the book would be hooked in an instance. It is constructed well, easy to read, and simple to understand. Thus making it the perfect book for anyone to understand and enjoy at the same time.